Technical Assistance Program – Introduction
The Boston Region MPO’s Technical Assistance Program provides planning, design, and analysis services to municipalities, regional transit authorities (RTAs), and transportation management associations (TMAs). The program supports the implementation of multimodal transportation projects that enhance accessibility, safety, multimodal connections, mode shift, and economic development across the Boston region.
Applications
Municipalities, RTAs, and TMAs may submit project concepts on a year-round basis. Projects should align with the regional goals outlined in Destination 2050, the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan: Equity, Safety, Mobility and Reliability, Access and Connectivity, Resiliency, and Clean Air and Healthy Communities.
Project Selection
Project proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Alignment with long-range regional transportation goals
- Potential to improve and positively impact the regional transportation system
- Feasibility and project schedule
Projects of Interest for FFY 2026
- Safety-focused planning, policy, and design of quick-build projects that improve multimodal travel and protect vulnerable road users, in alignment with the MPO’s Vision Zero Action Plan
- Extreme heat mitigation strategies for multimodal users, building on the MPO’s NO-HEAT Project
- Expansion of multimodal infrastructure, such as Bluebikes station planning
- Planning for safety and prevention of bike lane obstructions
- Support for piloting cargo e-bike programs for last-mile deliveries
- Safety improvements for travel to schools and civic institutions
- Transit service planning projects that improve operations or levels of service for RTAs and TMAs
Resources
- The Vision Zero Dashboard will help your community locate priority corridors within the High-Injury Network, which identifies roadway locations where a high proportion of traffic fatalities and serious injuries occur.
- Managing Curb Space in The Boston Region: A Guidebook defines best practices for curb management and provides examples, ideas, and recommendations for planners working to improve curb management practices.
- Parking In Bike Lanes: Strategies for Safety and Prevention examines the sources of bike lane obstruction and design, enforcement, and policy interventions that cities across North America are using to prevent it
- Exploring Cargo E-Bikes for Last-Mile Deliveries researches cargo e-bikes, including their use cases, applications, and operational challenges to develop recommendations and best practices for cargo bike pilot programs and long-term adoption.
Previous Reports and Analyses
- Everett (PDF): Data on walking and biking activity in Everett
- Quincy: Identifying the best sites for new bike-share stations (to be published in fall 2025)
- Swampscott: Improving routes for students walking and biking to school
- Sharon (PDF): Enhancing safety and traffic flow at a key intersection
- Wrentham (PDF): Assessing travel patterns to guide future improvements
- Hamilton and Ipswich: Designing measures to slow speeds and improve safety
- Concord: Exploring safer ways to cross a major roadway
Contact
We welcome your proposals and project ideas. Please contact Jenn Emiko Concannon, MPO staff, at jconcannon@ctps.org